Jaishankar meets Bangladesh PM Hasina & thanks her for guidance in furthering bilateral ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday met Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina here and appreciated her guidance in taking the 'India-Bangladesh Maitri' forward.

This is Jaishankar’s first meeting with Hasina after she returned to a record fifth term in January. The two leaders were meeting on the sidelines of the prestigious Munich Security Conference, in its 60th edition, which is the world’s leading forum for debate on international security.

“Honoured to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh. Congratulated her on the renewed mandate. Appreciated her guidance for taking India Bangladesh Maitri forward,” Jaishankar posted on X along with a photograph.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Hasina stressed the need for expanding business between Bangladesh and India using their own currencies, BSS news agency reported.

''We can do our business through exchanges of Bangladeshi Taka and Indian Rupee. It has already started, but we have to expand it further so that we can increase our businesses,'' Hasina was quoted as saying by the official news agency of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said Hasina and Jaishankar attached importance to doing business between the two friendly countries through their own currencies to reduce dependency on other currencies like the US dollar.

He said Bangladesh and India have excellent bilateral relations and it has elevated to another height under the leadership of the prime ministers of the two countries.

''The relations between the countries are getting stronger day by day,'' he said.

Jaishankar also met Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. India hosts the WHOSEAR, the top health body’s South East Asia Region’s headquarters.

“Glad to (have) met DG World Health Organization @DrTedros. Discussed traditional medicine and pandemic preparedness. Thank you Tulsi bhai!” he posted on X.

Since his arrival here on Friday, Jaishankar has met US Secretary of State Blinken, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, Greece’s Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, Foreign Minister of Argentina Diana Mondino and Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly.

He also met Josep Borrell Fontelles, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the EU Commission on Friday.

Jaishankar held a wide-ranging conversation with Baerbock, shared perspectives on the major security challenges with Dendias and discussed economic and political cooperation between India and Argentina with Mondino.

“So good to meet my German colleague FM @ABaerbock on #MSC2024 sidelines. A wide-ranging conversation on global challenges and the pathway ahead. Appreciated her insights and assessments. Also reviewed preparations for the next meeting of our Inter-Governmental Consultations,” Jaishankar posted on X along with a photo of the meeting attended by officials from both sides.

“Glad to meet Minister of National Defence of Greece @NikosDendias on #MSC2024 sidelines. Shared perspectives on the major security challenges facing the world today,” he said after the meeting late on Friday evening.

“Pleasure to meet FM @DianaMondino of Argentina this evening. Discussed our economic and political cooperation. Look forward to working with her,” he said.

The Minister also met Peru’s Foreign Minister Javier Gonzalez-Olaechea and Bulgaria’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mariya Gabriel.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)